Germany approves €2.46m in arms exports to Israel after partial halt

Germany has approved arms exports to Israel worth at least €2.46 million ($2.9 million) since implementing a partial export halt, according to a response from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs to a parliamentary inquiry by The Left party.

The shipments involve "other military goods" and do not include weapons of war, according to the ministry.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz ordered on August 8 that exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza conflict be temporarily suspended. The move was in response to Israel's increasingly aggressive military actions and marked a shift in Germany's policy towards the country.

Prior to that, Berlin had gradually intensified criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government but had refrained from sanctions.

For the first five weeks after the suspension, no export approvals were granted. The current approvals, covering the period up to September 22, indicate that the €2.46 million in shipments occurred between September 13 and 22. By comparison, from January 1 to August 8, 2025, export licences to Israel totalled around €250 million.

The exact nature of the goods remains unclear. The ministry's response lists eight categories, including rockets, torpedoes, warships and naval equipment. But as the exports are not classified as weapons of war and the total value is relatively small, the shipments likely involve accessories or equipment.

The partial halt had sparked criticism in Israel. Netanyahu accused Germany of rewarding Palestinian militant organization Hamas for terrorism, expressing his disappointment directly to Merz.